1 Samuel 11
11
Saul Comes to the Aid of Jabesh
1#tc 4QSama and Josephus (Ant. 6.68-71) attest to a longer form of text at this point. The addition explains Nahash’s practice of enemy mutilation, and by so doing provides a smoother transition to the following paragraph than is found in the MT. The NRSV adopts this reading, with the following English translation: “Now Nahash, king of the Ammonites, had been grievously oppressing the Gadites and the Reubenites. He would gouge out the right eye of each of them and would not grant Israel a deliverer. No one was left of the Israelites across the Jordan whose right eye Nahash, king of the Ammonites, had not gouged out. But there were seven thousand men who had escaped from the Ammonites and had entered Jabesh-gilead.” This reading should not be lightly dismissed; it may in fact provide a text superior to that of the MT and the ancient versions. But the external evidence for it is so limited as to induce caution; the present translation instead follows the MT. However, for a reasonable case for including this reading in the text see the discussions in P. K. McCarter, I Samuel (AB), 199, and R. W. Klein, 1 Samuel (WBC), 103. Nahash#sn The name “Nahash” means “serpent” in Hebrew. the Ammonite marched#tn Heb “went up and camped”; NIV, NRSV “went up and besieged.” against Jabesh Gilead. All the men of Jabesh Gilead said to Nahash, “Make a treaty with us and we will serve you.”
2 But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “The only way I will make a treaty with you is if you let me gouge out the right eye of every one of you and in so doing humiliate all Israel!”
3 The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Leave us alone for seven days so that we can send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. If there is no one who can deliver us, we will come out voluntarily to you.”
4 When the messengers went to Gibeah (where Saul lived)#tn Heb “to Gibeah of Saul.” and informed the people of these matters, all the people wept loudly.#tn Heb “lifted their voice and wept.” 5 Now Saul was walking behind the#tn Or perhaps, “his oxen.” On this use of the definite article see Joüon 2:506-7 §137.f. oxen as he came from the field. Saul asked, “What has happened to the people? Why are they weeping?” So they told him about#tn Heb “the matters of.” the men of Jabesh.
6 The Spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and he became very angry. 7 He took a pair#tn Heb “yoke.” of oxen and cut them up. Then he sent the pieces throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, who said, “Whoever does not go out after Saul and after Samuel should expect this to be done to his oxen!” Then the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they went out as one army.#tn Heb “like one man.” 8 When Saul counted them at Bezek, the Israelites were 300,000#tc The LXX and two Old Latin mss read 600,000 here, rather than the MT’s 300,000. strong and the men of Judah numbered 30,000.#tc The LXX, two Old Latin mss, and a Qumran ms read 70,000 here, rather than the MT’s 30,000.
9 They said to the messengers who had come, “Here’s what you should say to the men of Jabesh Gilead: ‘Tomorrow deliverance will come to you when the sun is fully up.’” When the messengers went and told the men of Jabesh Gilead, they were happy. 10 The men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you#tn The second masculine plural forms in this quotation indicate that Nahash and his army are addressed. and you can do with us whatever you wish.”#tn Heb “according to all that is good in your eyes.”
11 The next day Saul placed the people in three groups. They went to the Ammonite camp during the morning watch and struck them#tn Heb “Ammon.” By metonymy the name “Ammon” is used collectively for the soldiers in the Ammonite army. down until the hottest part of the day. The survivors scattered; no two of them remained together.
Saul Is Established as King
12 Then the people said to Samuel, “Who were the ones asking, ‘Will Saul reign over us?’ Hand over those men so we may execute them!” 13 But Saul said, “No one will be killed on this day. For today the Lord has given Israel a victory!” 14 Samuel said to the people, “Come on! Let’s go to Gilgal and renew the kingship there.” 15 So all the people went to Gilgal, where#tn Heb “and there in Gilgal.” they established Saul as king in the Lord’s presence. They offered up peace offerings there in the Lord’s presence. Saul and all the Israelites were very happy.
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1 Samuel 11
11
Saul Defeats the Ammonites
1Now Nahash the Ammonite went up and encamped against Jabesh Gilead. All the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a treaty with us#Literally “Cut with us a covenant” and we will serve you.” 2But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “On this condition I will make a treaty#Literally “I will cut” with you, by gouging out the right eye of each of you, so that I can make it a disgrace for all Israel.” 3So the elders of Jabesh said to him, “Leave us alone for seven days so that we may send messengers in all the territory of Israel, and if there is no deliverer for us, then we will come out to you.” 4When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, they reported these things to#Literally “they spoke the words in the ears of” the people. Then all the people lifted up their voices and wept. 5Just then,#Literally “And look/behold” Saul was coming from the field behind the cattle. Saul said, “What is the matter with the people, that they are weeping?” So they recounted to him the words of the men of Jabesh.
6Then the Spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and he became very angry.#Literally “his nose became very hot” 7So he took a yoke of oxen and cut them into pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hand of the messengers, saying, “Whoever is not going out after Saul and after Samuel, so will it be done to his oxen.” Then the fear of Yahweh fell on the people and they went out as one man. 8He mustered them at Bezek; the Israelites#Literally “sons/children of Israel” were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah were thirty thousand. 9They said to the messengers who had come, “Thus you will say to the men of Jabesh Gilead: ‘Tomorrow deliverance for you will come when the sun is hot.’ ”#Literally “at the heating of the sun” When the messengers went and told the men of Jabesh, they rejoiced. 10The men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you and you may do to us whatever seems good to you.”#Literally “as all of the good that is in your eyes” 11And the#Literally “and it happened the” next day Saul placed the people in three divisions. Then they came into the middle of the camp at the early morning watch#Literally “at the night watch of the morning” and struck down the Ammonites#Literally “Ammon” until the heat of the day. It happened that the remainder were scattered so that no two among them remained together.#Literally “and they did not remain among them two together” 12Then the people said to Samuel, “Who is the one who asked, ‘Will Saul reign over us?’ Give the men to us that we may kill them.” 13But Saul said, “No one will be put to death on this day, because today#Literally “the day” Yahweh has provided deliverance in Israel.”
14Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal, and let us renew the kingship there.” 15So all the people went to Gilgal and they made Saul king there before Yahweh in Gilgal. They sacrificed fellowship offerings there before Yahweh. Then Saul rejoiced there greatly along with all the men of Israel.
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